Report 25

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In last week's report I used the term 'empty threats' to describe limitations and perceived obstacles with regard to integrating the knowledge of codependent arising into daily life. I can't say I was ready to expound on what I'd begun to articulate when Stim asked me, so I'd like to try to do that here. :)

Obstacles, cages, chains, and limitations as empty threats is seeing that everything that appears is made up of incalculable number of factors. Seeing that those factors, and the factors those factors are made up of, are not reliable as they at first seem, and that the reliable impression is a matter of a seemingly reliable selves and minds perceiving them, means that I can rest in groundlessness with greater and greater confidence, knowing more and more, reality's nature.

Speaking practically,it is factoring in ignorance when approaching any and all 'things', because you *know* that if you take a moment to look further into something, it is ultimately not graspable. If it isn't graspable, it begins to feel silly to 'try' to grasp it. When you factor the ignorance, the ignorance is shed, in a sense? Seeing is enough?

So then, developing refinement of concentration approaching everything/everyone is where Immediacy comes into play. Looking/living in a shallow way not a an essential state.

This morning I thought about groundlessness in the context of what is said about eagles... that mother eagles remove layers of cushioning and comfort from the eaglets, and almost taunt the eaglets with temptations of food and such so that the eaglet will be compelled to learn to rely on its 'true' free-flying nature.

In the unfolding image of groundlessness, the surrendered and trusting eagle would not be bound to the nest at all, but might freely choose to build and enjoy as many temporary nests as it likes. :)

-I'm going to try not to edit this down too much because sometimes I'm hesitant to ask things openly in workshops or take too much time to clarify things. I've been doing quite a bit of reading and listening during the last several months, with this workshop as a central guide.

What I can describe is a sense of still seeing limitations, but also seeing 'through them' rather like layered transparency sheets.